How We Check VPN Information
We separate documented features, independent audit evidence, and hands-on findings so you can see what supports a statement.
The current status
Our published product pages are Plans & Features reference pages. We have not installed and tested these VPNs for speed, leaks, streaming playback, or kill-switch behavior. We do not present provider claims as results from our own tests.
Prices and renewals
We look for a published initial total in the correct currency and purchase channel. We do not multiply a rounded advertised monthly equivalent to invent an amount due today. Cards distinguish the initial coverage period from the renewal billing cycle.
Tax-inclusive totals can depend on the buyer’s location. We retain a provider’s published subtotal with a tax note when the final US tax amount is not established. Unresolved renewal prices are labeled for checkout confirmation. We hide expired offers, and keep conflicting source details in our editorial records.
Platforms, privacy, and audits
We check official support documents at the operating-system and plan level. A Windows feature does not automatically apply to iOS. Where a new help page conflicts with an old marketing page, we record the difference and use the more specific current support instructions.
For privacy, we distinguish VPN activity claims from account, billing, support, and diagnostic records. For audits, we identify the firm, date, scope, and whether the original report can be read publicly. A vendor summary is identified as a summary when the full report is gated or unavailable.
Requirements for hands-on results
Before publishing a test, we will record the product and plan, device, operating system, app version, protocol, connection location, network, chosen server, and date. Desktop and phone results will remain separate.
Speed checks require a baseline and at least three runs for each nearby and cross-region condition, with medians and variation. Leak checks must separately record IPv4, IPv6, and DNS conditions. Kill-switch checks must include interruptions, network changes, and sleep recovery. Streaming findings must identify the service, region, device, date, and whether playback succeeded.
Only completed records can support a Hands-on Review label. Future test images and public records will remove account identifiers and personal network details.
Keeping pages current
Our maintenance schedule prioritizes popular prices every seven days, other offers every 30 days, and policies and platform details every 90 days. These are editorial targets, not a claim that every price is monitored continuously. Each product shows its actual latest meaningful check.